New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons worked out Devonta Freeman
Devonta Freeman (8) carries the ball. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Florida State Seminoles product Devonta Freeman is one of the more intriguing running backs in the 2014 NFL Draft class, and many people view him as a top sleeper at the position due to his all-around ability. Freeman has uncanny blocking ability for a player coming out of college, and he has some Doug Martin to his game when it comes to his ability to block and provide versatility to a backfield. He’s tough, gets downhill, doesn’t waste movements, has enough “shakes”, and he can make a sizeable impact as a pass-catcher.
The National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson reports that not only has Freeman visited with and worked out for the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, but he’s also worked out for the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons during the pre-draft process. Both the Patriots and Falcons are squarely in the market for running back depth, especially since the Falcons can no longer count on the health of Steven Jackson.
The Patriots, on the other hand, lost power back LeGarrette Blount to the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency, and they seem to be focusing in on well-rounded backs. Both the Falcons and Patriots have also looked at UCF’s underrated Storm Johnson, and I think either Freeman or Johnson would be excellent RB picks for either franchise.